


I Care

by borschtisaukrainiansoup



Series: There Were Three Sisters [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, Gwaine Being Gwaine (Merlin), Lancelot (Merlin) Lives, M/M, Merlin is a Little Shit, Merlin swears like a sailor, Mutual Pining, One Shot, POV Gwaine (Merlin), Percy is a sweetheart, Pining, Pining Gwaine (Merlin), Slight Canon Divergence, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, enjoy reading!, he's really cute, minor character - oc squire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:08:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25792627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/borschtisaukrainiansoup/pseuds/borschtisaukrainiansoup
Summary: Gwaine loses his shit because after meeting Merlin and Arthur, he ends up breaking nearly every rule he’s ever created for himself. How he ends up becoming a knight of Camelot, he’ll never know, but one thing’s for sure: Percival is damn gorgeous and Gwaine has long lost the ability to stay away.
Relationships: Gwaine/Percival (Merlin)
Series: There Were Three Sisters [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1871095
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	I Care

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! This is the first fanfic I’ve ever written, so I sincerely apologize for the shitty writing and cliché plot. 
> 
> Unsurprisingly, the finale of Merlin essentially murdered my heart, and I knew I had to do something to fix it. I already have plans to make this story into a series that rewrites the final two seasons of Merlin (in order to give these characters the happy ending they so substantially deserve). It’s an important thing for me to mention that I’m tweaking the plot so that Morgana and Morgause have an elder sister as well. Oh, and Lancelot also survives! You’ll find out more in later books. :) 
> 
> This story is just a fun Perwaine fic to give the two an established relationship for the rest of the series because I believe the show robbed us of this adorable ship. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it and please don’t hesitate to give me feedback!

~•✧•~

Before Gwaine even met Percival, the man had already saved his life…

Gwaine had spent the previous night splayed across the coarse, stone floor of a cave with only his arms to elevate his head. It wasn’t anything new, of course. 

In fact, Gwaine recalled that the last bed he’d slept in properly was Merlin’s after their first encounter. Unsurprisingly, the two had met when he’d availed them in a brawl with some thugs in a tavern. Gwaine had taken a knife to the thigh while trying to defend Arthur. He’d never expected to be defending the Crown Prince of Camelot. He’d especially never expected to end up spending even more time with the prince and his servant. 

And with Merlin and Arthur being the people who they are, Gwaine should have naturally disliked them. But after just a few days, Gwaine thought of Merlin as one of his best friends. Even Arthur became tolerable enough to the point where Gwaine was willing to step in once again to aid him against assassins. 

Nevertheless, Gwaine had left them almost as quickly as he had come. He’d been banished by Uther for usual Gwaine behavior, but he thought of his banishment as a blessing to be away from the incompetent ruler rather than a punishment.

Gwaine preferred to bounce from place to place, or in particular, from tavern to tavern. After a few long nights spent there, he’d waste all his money on being unable to stand straight. He would end up sleeping in wagons filled with hay, under trading stands, and had even broken into stables. 

Which was part of the reason why Gwaine was eager to accompany Merlin and Arthur in defeating the sisters. After their skirmish with the slave trader, Jarl, Gwaine had no choice but to be on the move again.

Normally, Gwaine would have slept peacefully, given that he was no longer in the presence of a slave trader, however, Gwaine had awoken to find that the sisters had sent an immortal army after them. 

Arthur and Merlin had explained the whole situation to him the night before, so Gwaine should have probably expected for his sleep to be interrupted, especially considering the group that he was with. Trouble always seemed to find the lot.

He was more irritated than surprised because he had barely had a chance to stretch before Merlin grabbed him by the arm and tugged him towards the back exit. Gwaine yelped as a searing pain shot through his arm, but Merlin didn’t slow or loosen his pull. Gwaine looked back to find the army right on their heels. Gwaine’s nerves caused him to keep running. He sped up a bit to stay in sync with Merlin, but it was strenuous and draining. He didn’t know how much longer he could go on.

Suddenly, Gwaine heard a shout from the ledge above him.

“Look out below!”

Gwaine and Merlin narrowly managed to scramble away as a large boulder fell from the ledge blocking their enemies’ path. 

“Who is that?”, asked Arthur. The man was clearly not in a part of their group. But he wasn’t an enemy either, Gwaine determined. After all, he had just saved them, and for that, Gwaine was grateful. 

“Don’t know, but I’m liking him already.”

A tanned skinned, well-trimmed, brown-haired man stepped forward. Cute guy, Gwaine thought, but not my type. 

“Lancelot!”, gasped Guinevere and ran to throw her arms around him. Gwaine looked from the newcomer, whose name was apparently Lancelot, to the boulder in the pathway behind them. Could he really push over that boulder all by himself? Lancelot looked much too scrawny. Gwaine knew he was right because moments later, another man stepped forward from behind Lancelot. 

This man was nearly a head taller than Lancelot. His arms were enormous; just his biceps were the size of large potatoes. It wasn’t until Gwaine saw his face that he realized his breathlessness was not only because of the running. 

He had cropped blond hair that complemented spectacularly with his sea-blue eyes. His skin was clear, peachy, and perfect. Gwaine traced his eyes down his chiseled jaw to the collarbones, barely paying attention to the conversation at hand. He seemed to have forgotten the aching pain in his shoulders and arms. 

“I take it that rockfall wasn’t an accident.” Gwaine could hear Arthur’s voice but determined he wasn’t speaking anything of importance as usual so Gwaine made no attempts to listen properly. After all, he was busy with other things. 

“This is Percival,” Lancelot said, gesturing to the gorgeous man. That caught Gwaine’s attention. “It was his strength that brought them down.”

Percival. Gwaine mentally attached the name to the face. Not that he would probably ever forget it. Percival. Percival. Percival. 

Arthur held a hand out to Percival who shook it promptly, “Your Highness.” Gwaine’s face heated up when he saw the smile Percival gave Arthur. Toothy but classy. Not a nobleman, but instead a humble man. Oh no, Gwaine was swooning.

“Arthur,” the prince corrected. 

“Arthur it is.” Percival kept his bright grin. Gwaine eyed Arthur enviously. He too wanted to shake the big man’s hand but for some reason, his arm was glued to his side. Gwaine had never been too afraid to approach someone, but there was something about Percival that locked his mouth shut and kept his feet grounded to the place where he was standing. He mentally cursed himself for it. 

“What were you doing here?”, Arthur asked Lancelot. 

“Er..it was me,” Merlin confessed. “I sent for him.”

“Well, we owe you our lives. Thank you.”

Yes, a few thank you’s are in order, Gwaine thought. One in particular for Merlin for bringing this hunk into his life.

~•✧•~

Gwaine thought his heart was going to burst out of his chest as Arthur went over the game plan. They were all gathered around a round table in an ancient abandoned castle. Gwaine was having difficulty listening to Arthur because there was too much of a distraction before his eyes. 

He couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of Percival. He followed those broad shoulders and muscular arms down, down, down, then traced them back up to his face again. 

It was only then that Gwaine realized that Percival was staring at him. He raised an eyebrow, but Gwaine simply flashed him the slyest grin that he could manage before winking.

These gestures seemed to only amplify Percival’s confusion, but Gwaine refused to stop. Percival scowled and shook his head before turning his attention back toward Arthur and the rest of the gang.

Gwaine internally sighed and leaned forward slightly so he could see the map better and focus on the plans. 

He couldn’t help it though. His ears muted out the sound of the quiet chatter. His heart wanted Percival but his brain knew better. Gwaine would have to wait until the time was right to approach Percival properly. Even still, his eyes betrayed him and stole a quick glance at Percival. 

It was only a peek but Gwaine noticed something that he hadn’t expected to see. He glanced back to recheck. 

Surely enough, Percival was still gazing at him. This time, his face was full of content instead of annoyance. When he realized that Gwaine had caught him however, the blonde immediately turned away.

However, Gwaine was certain he could see a slight blush creeping across Percival’s fair cheeks. Gwaine couldn’t believe his eyes. He knew his face was probably turning into the colors of the Pendragon crest but he couldn’t suppress a smile regardless.

~•✧•~

A year went by after Gwaine was knighted and it was certainly one of the best he’d ever had. Despite having tried to avoid the noble life for the entirety of his existence, Gwaine couldn’t deny that he loved the adrenaline rush he would get while training with the knights or stepping in to protect a noble citizen. 

Gwaine finally had a purpose in life. He would serve Arthur with pride.

Percival eventually warmed up to Gwaine and one day, Gwaine convinced him to partake in stealing some of the fresh food from the kitchens.

There was a hallway with a vent leading down into the kitchens, right above where the meat was kept. Gwaine and Percival scrambled over to it. The only person in the kitchens directly in their view was Merlin, who was grabbing the prince’s shirt. They were lucky. The two knew Merlin wouldn’t tell anyone if they were stealing food. Especially not when they knew he liked to play much more troublesome pranks himself.

Still, Percival was careful to drop the hook on a string as stealthily as possible. He and Gwaine had been caught stealing food from Audrey twice already. 

As Merlin turned after unclipping Arthur’s shirt, he noticed the hook on a string being lowered towards the chicken and looked up in confusion. His frown turned to a smile after seeing the two knights huddled around the vent above him. Percival gave him a polite wave while Gwaine grinned and put a finger to his lips.

Merlin chuckled quietly before grabbing the contraption and hooking it to a piece of roasted chicken. He hurried out of the kitchens as the knights eagerly pulled the chicken up. 

Almost immediately, Merlin heard Audrey scream “OI! NOT YOU TWO AGAIN!” He chuckled and continued on his way to Arthur’s chambers, leaving the knights to fend for themselves. 

They had lifted the vent and almost pulled the chicken up all the way when Audrey had spotted them. She immediately grabbed two of the pots that were hanging above the stove and headed for the door. “THAT’S THE LAST TIME YOU RUN OFF WITH MY FOOD, BOYS!” 

Gwaine grabbed Percival's arm and they slipped away into a corridor as Audrey scurried up the stairs. Closet doors lined the hallway but as Gwaine opened each one, he found that they were filled to the brim with supplies. There was no way the two of them would fit. 

Towards the end of the hallway, Gwaine managed to find a door that had but a few cleaning supplies behind it. He first pushed Percival into the closet before slipping in himself. He narrowly missed Audrey rounded the corner.

Gwaine held his breath as Audrey stormed down the corridor, only to find it empty. She huffed and went down a different hallway, iron pots still in her hands. 

Gwaine finally let out a breath once he heard Audrey’s angry stomps fade away. It was only then that he realized how close he was to Percival. It wasn’t just that their bodies were touching, they were practically melting into one another. Gwaine tried to move back a bit to give the big man some space but he stumbled over one of the many cleaning supplies on the floor and backed into the door. 

As he tried to catch himself from falling to the ground, his hand brushed Percival’s thigh. He probably would have fell if Percival had not caught his arm and hoisted him up. In doing so, Gwaine's face was now only centimeters from Percival’s. They were so close that Gwaine was afraid that Percival would be able to hear how fast his heart was pounding in his chest. 

After a moment, Percival grinned as he brought the piece of chicken into view from behind his back.

“Are we going to eat in here?”, he asked quietly. Gwaine blinked a few times to calm himself. Somehow he managed to swallow his feelings before proceeding to tear off a large piece of chicken. 

“Hey!”, Percival exclaimed as Gwaine shoved the whole piece down his throat then promptly reached for another. 

“That’s not fair! Give it to me!”, Gwaine playfully demanded when Percival held the chicken above his reach. Percival tore off a piece and put it in his own mouth before handing it to Gwaine. 

Gwaine’s eyes were ravenous even in the dark. Percival assumed that they were not about to leave the small closet because Gwaine dropped to sit on the floor and pulled one of the legs off of the chicken. 

Percival didn’t hesitate to join the brunette on the floor. He tore off the other leg and bit into it. 

Soon enough, the two had plucked every edible piece off of the roasted chicken and were now leaning tiredly against opposite walls. Gwaine was sitting with his legs crossed while Percival stretched his own. He was too big for the small space, however, and had to bend his knees so he could put his feet beside the other knight.

As Percival sighed, Gwaine leaned forward to the point where he was in Percival’s face.

“Do you want to do that again, Percy?”, Gwaine asked mischievously. 

Percival grinned brightly and Gwaine’s heart began its pounding again. Even in the darkness of the room, Gwaine’s eyes had adjusted enough so that he could peer into Percival’s brilliant blue ones. They were like mystical oceans that crashed into each. Gwaine longed to disappear into them. 

It was insane how close Percival was letting Gwaine get to him. His lips were right there. If Gwaine only leaned forward just a tad more, their lips would be touching. 

Wait a minute. Since when did Gwaine want to kiss Percival? No, no, he couldn’t do that. Percival was his best friend. Not his lover. His friend. Gwaine’s chest hurt and he hesitantly pulled back a bit. Percival was still beaming, clearly not understanding Gwaine’s internal predicament. 

“You know I couldn't say no to you, Gwaine.” 

Gwaine hated the way those words were making him feel right now. As if he had a chance.

~•✧•~

A few days later, Gwaine had managed to blow out his arm while training with Arthur. Gwaine was skilled but not as skilled as he thought. But of course, he’d let his arrogance get the best of him again, and now he was walking back to the armory, clasping his injured shoulder.

When he made it in there, he practically collapsed onto one of the wooden benches, clenching his teeth as he tried to unfasten his belt. A squire, who went by the name Joost, hurried over to help Gwaine with his chainmail. 

Joost unfastened the belt and set it aside. Gwaine, with great difficulty, leaned forward so Joost could pull the chainmail off. Joost hiked it up, but before it could get over Gwaine’s head, it got caught on his shoulders.

Nervously, Joost gave it a tug but it didn't budge.

“Ow!”, Gwaine yelped and dropped his arms.

“I’m so sorry, Sir Gwaine!”, Joost apologized before trying and failing again to remove it. Gwaine growled at the squire, trying to contain his anger. 

Percival, who had already removed his armor and was standing only a few meters away, approached Joost to help him. The squire was clearly nervous and frustrated because he didn’t look Percival in the eye and instead began to tug again. Percival could practically see his hands vibrating with anxiousness.

“Hey, it’s ok,” Percival placed a hand on Joost’s before he could cause Gwaine to kick him. “When it gets stuck, you have to pull it slowly.” Percival took the end of the chainmail and carefully pulled it over Gwaine's head to demonstrate. 

“Gwaine, put up your arms,” Percival commanded. Gwaine grumbled but did what he was told. “You can do it this time, Joost, but don’t yank it. You have to pull it slowly.” Joost nodded and the chainmail was off without too much irritation.

Gwaine let out a sigh of relief and sat up straight. 

“I’m proud of you, Joost,” Percival spoke softly. “You did well.” Joost’s face lit up at Percival’s remarks and he happily went to work on removing Gwaine’s boots.

“Excuse me, Joost?” Elyan’s voice rang out from behind the squire. There was something furtive about the grin that was plastered upon Elyan’s face. It was mischievous, as expected, but there was something more to it that Gwaine couldn’t seem to put his finger on. Leon and Lancelot were no help either. Leon’s demeanor was as impassive as usual and Lancelot had a knowing twinkle in his eyes, but that wasn’t out of the ordinary either. “Could you scrub down all three of our armor?”

“But I—”, Joost began to protest but Percival put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Go clean their armor, they’ll need it for their patrol tonight,” Percival said. “I can handle Gwaine.”

Joost nodded, “Of course, Sir Elyan. Thank you very much, Sir Percival.” He gathered up the other knights’ armor and headed into the back room where they kept buckets of soap and water. Lancelot, Leon, and Elyan gave Gwaine and Percival a quick wave before leaving the armory.

Percival picked up where Joost had left off. He unfastened the buckle of his cavalier boot and carefully pulled his foot out of it. His touch was so gentle and soothing that Gwaine might have nodded off. Except that he couldn’t. Percival was dangerously close to him. Gwaine didn’t understand why his breath would still become raspier as the distance closed between the two of them. He thought he’d been over this. Apparently not. 

There was a peaceful silence between them as Percival worked on pulling his foot out of the second boot.

When Gwaine finally managed to find his voice, it came out in a croak. 

“You’re so kind to the squires and all the servants.”

“I try,” said Percival. “Come, let’s go to your room. I’ll massage you.”

“What?!?”, Gwaine let out a nervous splutter. 

“You injured your back. I can massage it for you.”

“Ah...alright,” said Gwaine. Percival’s comment did nothing to avail the aching feeling he felt in his chest. He wanted to stab himself for how much he wanted this when he knew he shouldn’t be agreeing. 

Gwaine argued with himself all the way to his room. Percival closed the door behind the two of them. God, he was such an idiot. Eh, whatever. It didn’t matter now. Gwaine decided to pick up on the conversation they had left off on.

“But, why?”

“Why, what?”, Percival asked. 

“Why are you so kind to everyone?”

Percival’s eyes glimmered as he spoke. “Because everyone should be treated with care and respect. There is no reason to treat servants as if their lives are below ours. After all, aren’t we one species? Here, let me take off your shirt.”

Those were not the words Gwaine expected to hear at the end of that powerful message. Even still, he was mesmerized by Percival’s words. Not that he wasn’t usually captivated by the big man. For a man who spoke so little, the phrases that came out of his mouth were teeming with wisdom. Gwaine could listen to him forever.

Gwaine did the same thing as he had done with his chainmail: He leaned forward and held his arms over his head as Percival slowly pulled the shirt off.

Normally, Gwaine didn’t care how exposed he felt. But this time was different. This time, he was with someone he actually cared about. Gwaine shook his head and rubbed his fatigued arms, trying to shake away the comparison between this moment alone with Percival and all those nights he’d spend a little extra at the tavern and then wake up the next morning in a foreign bed. 

That was not going to happen between him and Percival. They were friends. Just friends, goddamnit! Why was that so difficult for Gwaine to understand?

“I-I get that,” Gwaine stammered, trying to fill in the awkward silence. He watched as Percival took some liquid from a vial that had somehow been in his pocket all along and rubbed it onto his hands.

Percival nodded towards the bed. Gwaine's heart immediately flew to his throat. He understood, but he wasn’t liking these parallels. 

Gwaine plopped face down onto his mattress and groaned as pain shot through his arms. 

But then Percival put his hands on Gwaine’s shoulders. 

Gwaine immediately went slack. Being susceptible to the chilly air had caused the hair on Gwaine’s arm to stand up, but Percival’s touch somehow managed to send a warm feeling throughout his entire body.

Next, his hands were on Gwaine’s lower back and as Percival rubbed, Gwaine could feel all the knots being released. He moaned at the soothing feeling that was now racing throughout his entire body, then immediately groaned once he’d realized what he’d done. Either way, Percival didn’t seem to care. 

“Also,” Percival began after a minute had passed. “I’m pretty sure Joost deserves a break from dealing with you.” Gwaine chuckled into his pillow. Percival was right. As usual. Perhaps Gwaine was a bit too hard on his squire.

“Percy, I meant to ask, what’s that stuff you’re rubbing on me?”

“Oh this?”, Percival asked. “This is an ointment I got from Gaius when Lancelot had bruised his side a few weeks ago. He said it was made of some sort of oil and that it was supposed to help with muscle pains.”

“Wait, so you’ve massaged Lancelot before?” Gwaine tried to mask his alarm but the words had practically come out in a stutter. He tried to turn so he would be on his side, facing Percival, but a white-hot pain seared through the aching area and Gwaine remained flat on his stomach.

“Yes…?”, answered Percival, slightly confused, but he continued rubbing. Gwaine wasn’t sure why he’d been under the impression that Percival had only ever offered to massage him. Why hadn’t it occurred to him that this was a regular thing Percival did for his friends?

Yes, and he was doing this now because Gwaine was his friend. Only his friend. Nothing more.

Gwaine sucked in a deep breath through his teeth. He knew he could never be with Percival. His brain was reminding him what a horrible couple the two would make anyway. Gwaine had never been able to commit to a relationship before. And never before had Gwaine ever cared about anyone but himself. How could someone as insensitive as him be with someone as kind and selfless as Percival?

~•✧•~

Gwaine shivered as the knights dismounted their horses. He looked ahead to see the mouth of the Tunnels of Andor, daring him to enter. The temperature had suddenly dropped and Gwaine had a sinking feeling that the Dorocha was nearby. He shook it off though. He was a knight; he wasn’t supposed to be scared of something as stupid as the Dorocha. 

But Gwaine’s fear only heightened when he realized they were going to have to trek through the Tunnels of Andor. The place was crawling with gigantic baby rat-like creatures called Wilddeoren. It was times like these that Gwaine regretted being a knight.

He was covered from head to toe in Gaia berries. It smelled. He hated it. Arthur had said the berries would mask their smell from the Wilddeoren. Gwaine wasn’t so sure about that. 

Despite knowing that he would have no choice but to enter the tunnels, Gwaine didn’t hesitate to argue with Arthur as they approached the mouth of the tunnel. 

“It’s your choice, Gwaine. Wilddeoren or Dorocha,” Arthur sighed.

“I know which I’d rather go for,” Elyan remarked. 

“Me too,” Leon added. They both followed Arthur into the tunnel. Gwaine groaned and rolled his eyes. As much as he hated the idea of Wilddeoren, there was no way he was going to remain out here. 

Before he could enter the tunnel, Gwaine heard a shriek and felt a sudden gust of air. He had been right: The Dorocha was close.

Gwaine turned toward the direction of the noise but found nothing. He shrugged and turned back around. Then, out of nowhere, the Dorocha launched itself at him. 

The next thing that happened nearly caused Gwaine’s heart to pop out of his chest. 

Before he could comprehend what was occurring, he was being tackled to the ground. 

Gwaine let out an ‘OOF’ as his back hit the rocky floor. His chest hurt where his body had cushioned the person who had tackled him. 

Gwaine blinked a few times so he could see who was on top of him. 

He almost screamed when he saw Percival’s sky blue eyes staring back at him. Percival’s eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes were filled with concern. He looked away from Gwaine for a moment to glance up. 

Gwaine followed Percival’s gaze and caught the Dorocha zip by overhead. Again? Percival had saved him again? Gwaine couldn’t think straight.

“Never knew you cared,” Gwaine smirked. Apparently, his flirtatious attitude was the first of his senses to return. That was not at all what he was trying to say. Perhaps a word of gratitude was in order, but it was too late for that. Percival nonchalantly rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at him. Arthur hurried out of the tunnel at that moment, carrying a torch.

“Quick!”, he yelled at the two knights. Percival scrambled off of Gwaine and proceeded to help the brunette up. When Gwaine was on his feet again, Percival removed the support from his side. Gwaine let out a groan as he put a hand to the area that ached. 

Without warning, Percival grabbed Gwaine’s hand and pulled him into the tunnels. Arthur waved his torch to repel the Dorocha before following them.

Arthur shuffled past all of the knights to get to the front. Leon and Elyan followed closely behind him while Gwaine and Percival brought up the rear. 

Gwaine was well aware of the fact that Percival was still clutching his hand. Gwaine’s heart and brain were quarreling with each other, deep within him. He couldn’t let himself hold on no matter how much he loved it. Gwaine wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stop himself if Percival kept toying with his heart like this.

It was almost as if he was trying to torment Gwaine. 

This time his brain won the battle. Before Gwaine could stop himself, the words were already out of his mouth.

“Um, Percy…” The blonde man broke from his daze to raise an eyebrow at Gwaine. Apparently, those were the only words Gwaine could speak, however. Instead, he gestured towards their intertwined hands, silently hoping Percival wouldn’t let go. 

He didn’t get his wish.

“Oh sorry…”, Percival muttered and pulled his large hand away from Gwaine’s. He didn’t make eye contact with Gwaine again for the entirety of the way through the tunnels. 

Gwaine knew he had blown it. If there had been any sparks between the two of them, he had managed to completely eradicate them. Gwaine felt like throwing himself off a cliff for his nervous stupidity.

~•✧•~

After Uther’s passing and Arthur’s coronation, the Knights stepped up to support their King. Gwaine felt as if he finally understood what it meant to be a Knight of Camelot. 

Knights were smart, loyal, and brave, but above all, they would put their people’s safety first. For so long, Gwaine had hated the knights because of his father and the person he had chosen to be. Gwaine vowed to never be like him. He would never leave his family or friends in vain. It was that positive mindset that allowed Gwaine to sleep at night. 

Arthur liked to include the word ‘humble’ when describing his knights but Gwaine knew that wasn’t accurate. Especially not with him and Elyan as knights. 

If Gwaine had to choose someone to fit the description of a perfect knight, it would be Percival. 

He doubted that the others agreed with him, but Gwaine didn’t care that he was biased. Percival was perfect. He was everything Gwaine hoped to be and more. 

The knights and Merlin were all debating this topic as they sat gathered around a warm fire in the woods. 

The sun had set long ago and the stature of the trees was much more prominent now. Besides the moonlight, the only source of light was the fire’s embers. Gwaine was unable to tell the different trees apart. The shadows had caused them all to blend into one enormous dark blob that towered over the troupe. 

Gwaine wasn’t paying much attention to his friends’ debate. All he knew was that everyone was torn between Lancelot and Leon. It was unusual for Gwaine to not be an active participant in their discussions.

However, it was extremely easy for Gwaine to get distracted. Nowadays, he would find himself staring at the way Percival’s shirt and trousers would hug his chest and thighs. 

Today, the golden light from the fire lit up his cheekbones, his strong jawline, and his lips. Oh, how he longed to press his own lips to Percival’s lovely plump ones. Gwaine couldn’t tear his eyes from them.

Gwaine watched as Percival burst out into laughter at something one of the others had said. When Percival smiled, it was as if the heavens opened and the angels were singing. Gwaine loved it. He prayed that Percival would never lose that beautiful smile. 

It was nice to see the knights engaging in idle chatter. It distracted them from unsettling thoughts of tomorrow's events. 

While on a patrol, the knights had learned of the location where the three sisters were hatching their plans to dethrone Arthur. Despite the knights, Merlin, and practically everyone in the castle suggesting that Arthur release a spy into the enemy territory, Arthur had insisted that he had to be the one to lead their reconnaissance mission. 

Arthur believed that if he was going to be the person to lead his troops into battle when the time came, he would need to know the terrain of the place and be able to swiftly locate escape routes and extra supplies. Nothing that his closest friends said would change his mind, not even Gwen’s and Merlin’s opinions. 

That didn’t mean Arthur didn’t have to make any compromises for them. If Arthur was going to enter enemy territory, he would have to take a handful of his best knights with him. 

Thus, Gwaine and the rest of the Knights of the Round Table were here with him in the woods. Of course, they had taken Merlin as well. Gwaine doubted that Arthur could last a few hours without Merlin.

It hadn’t occurred to Gwaine until now that he might be riding to his death. Gwaine had never been afraid of dying, but something about the uncertainness of the next day’s events made the acids in his stomach churn in an unsettling manner.

There was so much he still wanted to do with the knights. They were the only true friends he’d ever had. They loved him and he loved them. He couldn’t imagine a life without them.

This time when he looked at Percival, Gwaine felt immense sorrow in his heart. Percival would never know how Gwaine truly felt about him.

Perhaps that was for the best, said a voice in the back of his mind. If Gwaine never told Percival about his feelings for him, he could save himself from the disappointment of Percival rejecting him. 

But how would he know if Percival had ever felt the same about him if Gwaine never approached him? 

Gwaine decided to do something he never thought he would do: He made a list of pros and cons. 

He scoffed as he did so. That was something Leon would tell him to do. And since when did Gwaine start listening to Leon? He cursed his atypical behavior. 

Never before had Gwaine ever made a decision so thoroughly. 

It was as if his brain and his legs were entirely separated from his body because Gwaine didn’t know he was walking towards Percival until he had sidled up beside him.

“Hello?” Gwaine could sense the bemusement in Percival’s voice, but he swallowed his apprehension and began to croak out the words he had rehearsed in his head for the past ten minutes. 

“C-C-Can I talk to you?”, Gwaine tried and miserably failed to cover up his stammering with a cough. He couldn’t look at the other knights in the eyes at the moment, but he knew they were intrigued by his sudden inquiry. By his foolishness.

“In private,” he added, hoping to thwart their unwanted attention. Right now he had to focus solely on Percival. 

After a few moments of consideration, Percival nodded silently. Gwaine turned abruptly on his heels and scampered towards the creek. His lungs were already on fire. It was becoming more arduous to breathe by the second. He had to get away from the others as quickly as possible. 

He didn’t glance behind him once to see if Percival was following him. He knew he was. 

Gwaine pushed away at tree branches and tall stalks of obstructing grass to where he could finally hear the soft gurgling of the creek. Gwaine planted his feet in the mud, inches from the cool water. When he turned around, Percival was standing a few feet from him in the clearing, arms crossed over his chest. The light from the campfire was bright enough to aid Gwaine’s vision, but Percival’s face was mostly illuminated by the moonlight.

As expected, he raised an eyebrow when Gwaine made eye contact. Gwaine nearly crumpled under his gaze. 

Gwaine opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out of it. He tried to take a breath, but it was as if something was restricting his trachea. Trepidation kicked in and Gwaine had to turn away from Percival. The stew that he had consumed nearly a half-hour earlier was threatening to reemerge. 

He stomached his anxiety and took a few shaky steps towards Percival. The expression on the big man’s face was nothing short of bewilderment and query. 

Gwaine sucked in a deep breath before taking the man’s hand. Percival took a quick glance down but otherwise said nothing of it.

When he put a trembling hand to cup Percival’s cheek, Gwaine realized he was unable to remember a single word of his rehearsed speech. Shit.

“Percy, I need to tell you something b-but I don’t know how to say it.” Percival furrowed his brows and Gwaine internally cursed. This wasn’t how he’d wanted to start. Now Percival was even more confused than before.

Nevertheless, he continued. 

“I’ve never felt the way I feel when I’m around you with anyone else before. And I know you probably don’t feel the same way but I couldn’t live with myself if I never get to tell you…”

“Then tell me,” Percival said softly. His grip tightened around Gwaine’s hand. It was enough of a boost to get Gwaine talking again, but seemingly not enough.

“Look, I-I want, I, you, uhh...” Gwaine bit his lip and tried to find his voice again. 

Gwaine’s jelly knees almost betrayed him when Percival pulled his hand out of Gwaine’s grasp. Despite Gwaine being unable to speak in proper English, Percvial had managed to get the message. 

No. No. No. After all this time, Gwaine had thought not telling Percival was worse. The bile rising in his throat said otherwise. 

He caught his breath and steeled himself for rejection. 

But then Percival took his face in his large hands and lifted Gwaine’s chin so he was forced to make eye contact. 

And then his lips were on Gwaine’s. 

It was short and sweet but when Percival pulled back, Gwaine was completely breathless. 

“Is this what you want?” Percival asked, his voice a soft whisper. 

“I...more…”

A cheeky grin materialized on Percival’s face. 

“God, you’re insatiable.” This time the kiss had a fervent flair. There were fireworks exploding between the two of them. Gwaine gained his strength and took the lead, guiding his body into Percival’s as he deepened the kiss. There was no way he was about to leave his arms there hanging awkwardly. Not when Percival had set off a fire.

Gwaine snaked one hand onto Percival’s hip and caressed the blonde’s collarbone. His entire body was ablaze and he couldn’t stop himself from nipping at Percival’s bottom lip. 

By the time the two pulled apart, they were both a mess. Percival let out an ardent laugh. Gwaine was grinning from ear to ear. He stood on his toes to press a quick kiss to Percival’s pink nose.

“You know, after the Wilddeoren, I thought you didn’t care at all.”

“I cared,” Percival stroked Gwaine’s jaw before correcting himself. “I care.”

With a jovial burst of energy, Gwaine threw both of his arms around Percival’s neck. Percival kissed his neck and as Gwaine laid his head on his shoulder, Percival pulled him even closer. The two of them swayed in sync with the gentle breeze as their bodies melted into each other.

~•✧•~

“Fuck you, Elyan”, hissed a voice in the bushes. Neither Gwaine nor Percival heard Merlin’s rude outburst. They were much too engrossed in each other.

Elyan was having immense difficulty refraining from releasing a loud ‘WOOHOO!’ Despite how far away they were from the besotted knights, Elyan didn’t want to risk interrupting their moment. 

Regardless of whether or not he had been the first to believe their relationship would probably end up being something beyond platonic, Elyan had certainly been the first of the group to bring it up.

Each of them had unanimously agreed to their relationship in a heartbeat, even Gwen and Arthur. 

He was beyond happy for the two of them; he was overjoyed. 

The glowering expression on Merlin’s face was worth it. 

“Pay up,” Elyan commanded, only adding to Merlin’s irritation. He melodramatically rolled his eyes at Elyan. “Oh stop with the histrionics. You knew what you were getting into when you put money into the pot.”

“Piss off.”

“Hey!”, hissed Lancelot. Elyan had almost forgotten he had accompanied the two of them. He had come to play referee, of course, since Lancelot had never bet on anything so far. Still, Elyan was certain that he was probably just as curious about Gwaine and Percival as the rest of them. 

“Come on, let’s leave these two to their privacy.” He began scampering towards the glowing light from the campfire. Merlin looked to Elyan, who shrugged but after a moment's hesitation, followed after Lancelot.

Leon didn’t ask a single word to them when they returned because Arthur beat him to it. 

“Did they do it? Have they finally confessed?”

“You’ll see,” said Lancelot but then immediately defeated the purpose when he gave them a sly wink. The corners of Leon’s mouth turned up when his mind put the pieces together. Arthur threw his arms over his head and let out a cheer.

“Merlin…” Elyan sang when the warlock made no effort to hand over his money. 

“Elyan, darling,” Merlin gave Elyan his most adorable and innocent smile, but Elyan shook his head and chuckled. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve purchased some new outfits for myself. You know what, perhaps while I’m at it, I think I’ll spend some time in the tavern as well.”

Merlin groaned as Arthur clapped a hand on his back. He dragged his feet to the horses, ever so slowly.

Elyan flashed him a bright smile when Merlin turned back for a second to see if Elyan had forgotten. Merlin’s facial expression had transitioned from sourness to scorn.

Oh, how Elyan loved winning.

~•✧•~

Tree branches waved as a gentle gust of wind blew, causing dried leaves to fall dramatically into the clearing that bridged a small stream. The only sound, other than the chirping of the crickets, was that of freshwater cascading downwards over small, stair step-like rock ledges. In this clearing were two knights, their arms around each other in peaceful silence. It seemed as if the entire universe was at peace. 

The two remained like that for a good few minutes before the shorter brunette pulled back ever so slightly. 

“Oh, Percy...” he muttered lovingly before pressing a kiss to Percival’s lips. 

“Gwaine…”, breathed Percival between kisses. He lolled his head back, allowing Gwaine to trail kisses downwards from his earlobe. 

Gwaine didn’t stop until he had given attention to every inch of Percival’s body that was exposed. It was taking every muscle in Gwaine’s body to prevent himself from ripping the loose clothing off of Percival’s frame. 

But he wouldn’t do it. Not tonight at least. 

It was probably a smarter idea that they remain fully clothed in the case of a sneak attack. 

Percival was giggling like a schoolboy by the time Gwaine had pulled away from him. Both of them were breathless and it took a minute for them to regain their energy.

“Shall we go now?”, Percival whispered into Gwaine’s ear. Gwaine let out a sigh and wrapped both of his arms around Percival’s waist. 

“I don’t want to go. I want to stay here with you,” he pouted and looked up to meet Percival’s eyes. “I’m not sure if I’m ready to face the rest of them.”

Percival cupped his cheek and Gwaine began to drown in his gorgeous eyes. “It’s alright. I’ll be right there beside you.”

After a moment had passed, Gwaine hesitantly nodded in compliance. Percival shot him a reassuring smile but didn’t hesitate to grab his hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze before leading Gwaine out of the clearing. 

The men were harping on about something as Gwaine and Percival approached.

“Everyone, we have an announcement to make,” Gwaine chirped. He knew the color was rising in his cheeks, but he couldn’t care less. All that mattered to him in this moment was that his hand was intertwined with Percival’s. “Percival and I—”

“UGH, WE KNOW!”, Merlin cut him off abruptly. Arthur nearly backhanded him for his interruption but Merlin sidestepped out of reach. Gwaine watched as he disgruntledly dropped a bag of coins into Elyan’s outstretched arm.

“I’m sorry, did you bet on us?!?”, Percival asked in bewilderment. 

“Thank god I didn’t,” said Arthur. “I was about to bet on Gwaine.”

“Wait, so you weren’t betting on us getting together?”, Percival rubbed his temple trying to wrap his head around the whole situation. 

“No, no,” Elyan shook his head. “We already knew it was bound to happen soon. The conditions boiled down to a matter of who kissed the other first.”

“Ah, so you were spying on us?”, Gwaine sardonically raised an eyebrow.

“Shit,” muttered Merlin, his eyes going wide.

“Not like that!”, Lancelot wailed.

“Yeah we didn’t see anything interesting,” Elyan shrugged. “Lancelot pulled us out almost immediately after you two began sucking face.”

Leon looked like he was about to throw his shoe at Elyan. Gwaine stifled a laugh. He honestly couldn’t care less. In fact, it was rather entertaining to watch his friends bicker. But still, he looked over to see how their actions were affecting Percival. 

The large man let out an exuberant laugh, clearly going along with their friends’ idiocy. When he caught Gwaine staring at him, he affectionately tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear. 

Gwaine was blushing so immensely that his cheeks looked as if they’d been stained with pinkish-red dye. 

And when he lay down to sleep that night at Percival’s side, Gwaine’s brain flashed memories of Gwaine’s favorite moments with Percival like a slideshow. He didn’t bother counting sheep to doze off, he was much too interested in connecting the dots of their budding relationship between those memories. 

Who would have thought that Percival would be the rock that Gwaine so desperately needed to ground him and keep him upright?

Tonight, Gwaine had pushed away all his thoughts of unsettling events that could occur tomorrow. He refused to be fearful. How could he when Percival was resting a large hand over Gwaine’s chest. It wasn’t just that Percival was warm and comforting. The fact that Gwaine had managed to win Percival over would give him enough strength to endure the next day without distress.

Tomorrow night, Gwaine determined that he would give Percival a show in private. But first, he had to be alive for that. That would be his motivation.

For a while, Gwaine rested listening to the rise and fall of Percival’s chest as the other man snuggled his face into Gwaine’s back. He planted a kiss on Gwaine’s neck before muttering a quiet, “‘Night, Gwaine.”

“G‘Night, Perce.” And Gwaine had drifted off within minutes. 

~•✧•~

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, guys, I’m hoping you liked this floof because I’m about to take a dive into the more angst-filled portions of the series. Don’t worry, everything will work out in the end but this show is so butchered that it will undoubtedly take time to mend it. Again, this is the first time I’ve written a story to be published of my own volition, so I’m sorry about the corny writing and hope that my later works will be much more refined. 
> 
> Writing isn’t exactly my forte, but I love to draw! I mostly draw shitpost scenes, incorrect quotes, or different AUs for my favorite fandoms. Feel free to contact me or check out my art at my art Instagram: @borschtisaukrainiansoup 
> 
> (Is that blatant self-promo I spy?)
> 
> Alright, that’s all for now. Now go have a great day! :D


End file.
